The Malaysian Insight

UMNO grassroots leaders in Terengganu said there is a high possibility of a clash between their party and PAS in the state in the 15th general election.

This confirms claims by sources who previously told The Malaysian Insight the two parties will not cooperate in GE15 in the state.

The two parties are still partners under the Muafakat Nasional (MN) pact, but relations have turned icy over Umno’s desire to boycott Bersatu, which PAS is still loyal to.

Bersatu leads the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government and is with PAS in the political coalition of the same name, but Umno has refused to join it.

Kuala Nerus Umno division head Apli Yusoff said MN, which was formed in 2019, now does not exist in Terengganu.

Ties between Umno and PAS in the state are strained because there is no honesty in the cooperation, he said.

“Terengganu Umno liaison chief Ahmad Said has already said Umno will contest in all seats while PAS has issued a similar statement.

“Uniting the believers under MN was a good idea, but there has been no honesty from PAS, that’s why we can’t accept this,” he said.

MN was formed after the 14th general election for Umno and PAS as a strategy to dominate the Malay-Muslim vote, so as to regain control of more seats and the federal government, which Barisan Nasional lost in the election.

The pact would have meant seat-sharing would be negotiated, or that seats in PAS strongholds would have been given wholly to the Islamist party to contest with support from Umno.

Now, however, both parties in Terengganu are contesting all the state’s eight parliamentary seats and 32 state seats.

While Umno’s Ahmad has said cooperation under MN is dead in Terengganu, this has been denied by Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, from PAS.

In Terengganu last Monday, PAS and Bersatu launched PN’s state election machinery, which Ahmad Samsuri chairs.

Even though Umno isn’t in the picture, PAS maintains it hasn’t cut ties with Umno, and reiterated its commitment to MN.

Kuala Terengganu Umno division chief Wan Hisham Wan Salleh played down the frosty ties, saying the party’s decision to contest all seats was not a rejection of PAS but merely to “give voters a choice”.

“It’s to give the people the best choice available. To me, to say that we’re opposing PAS, that’s being negative,” he said.

If need be, cooperation under MN could be reformed after GE15, Wan Hisham added.

Terengganu Umno Youth chief Tengku Haphiz Tengku Putera agrees with the “may the best man win” approach.

He said there are concerns about PAS having gone ahead to launch its election machinery with Bersatu without a formal discussion with Umno.

It is clear cut to him that by doing so, PAS has no intention of restoring its relationship with Umno under MN in Terengganu.

“Since Bersatu has announced it will contest in Umno seats, we can’t wait around for PAS.” – March 27, 2021.